1836.] Additions to the Ornithology of NJpal. 773 



Type CUtia Nipalensis, nobis. 



Nos. 254, 255, of the new specimens and drawings in the posses- 

 sion of the Zoological Society. In order to illustrate the affinities of 

 our bird, I proceed to compare it with Pastor roseus and with Lam- 

 protornis spilopterus. 



In Pastor roseus (as in all the typical Pastors in my possession) 

 the bill is longer than the head, straight, conico-cylindric, and soft 

 and feeble towards the base. Its gape is angulated; and the plumes 

 of the head, carried forwards to the anteal extremity of the oval 

 nares, are pointed, glossed, and elongated. The ample and pointed 

 wings, have the 1st quill bastard; the 2nd, very long and nearly 

 equal to the 3rd, which is always the longest. The tarsi are strong, 

 elevated and heavily scaled. The toes have the laterals and hind 

 equal, and the central fore considerably elongated. The outer fore 

 toe has a basal connexion with the central, but the inner is free. 



In Lamprotornis spilopterus the wings have exactly the same form 

 as in Pastor roseus ; and, as this identical form is also found in 

 Eulabes religiosa, (not to mention more typical Pastors,) it would 

 seem to be characteristically and extensively significant*. The bill 

 of Lamp, spilopterus, which is scarcely longer than the head, uni- 

 formly sub- arcuated and not angulated at the gape, so far agrees 

 with our Ciitia. But its base is distinctly depressed, whilst forward 

 it has a very slight compression and sub-cylindric outline. It is, 

 besides, sharply pointed, saliently notched, and its trenchant fine 

 tomise are deeply interlocked. Carry these peculiarities a little further 

 and you have the bill of Chloropsis, which genus further agrees with 

 Lamprotornis spilopterus almost entirely in the nature of the food of 



* The generic character of Pastor gives • reraex prima longissima :' but it is 

 not so iu my specimen of the type or Roseus : nor in any other typical Pastor, 

 if Pastor be the equivalent for Maina. On the other hand, if Acridotheres be 

 held to be that equivalent, the ' gense plus minusve nudse' is true of Tristoides, 

 not true of Crist elloides, which two species are, however, as nearly allied as pos- 

 sible and perpetually associate together, every large flock of the former having 

 many individuals of the latter. In other words, these genera are artificial and 

 false ; neither of them being capable of comprising consistently half a dozen of 

 the most similar birds. The cheek piece cannot be an influential character, or 

 one of the above named two species would not have it, and the other want it. 

 By consequence, I should say, the genus Eulabes is purely artificial ; for, bating 

 the cheek piece, there is nothing left to distinguish the single species ranged 

 under it, but a greater degree of thickness in a bill of exactly the same essential 

 character. 



Commend me to the old genus Gracula, sub-generically divided. 



Our Maina is the prototype of the French Martin and of the English Minor, 



